


What Happened?

by Books_Forever



Series: The Memories Left In-Between [4]
Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Betrayal, Episode: s01e01-02 Becoming Carmen Sandiego (Carmen Sandiego 2019), F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I Tried, It just goes downhill from there, Romance, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, Very Gray-centric, at the beginning lol, excessive use of parenthesis, have fun with this, i wrote this at 2 am, no beta we die like this romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28117920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Books_Forever/pseuds/Books_Forever
Summary: Gray has no idea what happened to Black Sheep.--Or, a story retold from a different perspective.
Relationships: Gray | Crackle/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep
Series: The Memories Left In-Between [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1853173
Comments: 11
Kudos: 110





	1. What Happened to Black Sheep?

**Author's Note:**

> Winter break!!! More time for writing :D

Gray _(Crackle)_ wasn’t sure how everything spiraled out of control, leading to the events that occurred. After finally being able to ask Black Sheep out on a date, he thought everything would be okay, would be better. 

If he had to pinpoint one event that led to all his hopes crumbling, he would have to admit it was the horrendous disaster of the final exams. 

Not long after his first date with Black Sheep, the VILE staff began preparing students for the final exams in order to graduate and finally become professional thieves _(finally become the heartless criminals they were training to be)_. Both Black Sheep and he had been excited about this opportunity and had studied hard together (along with the rest of the group), putting romance in the backseat. 

(That didn’t stop the shy glances and gentle brushes whenever they were around each other - and they were _always_ together.)

When the exams had finally arrived, Gray had been sure that each and every one of them would have passed. Before the exams had started, Gray had been sure to pull her aside, seeing how she had been anxious all week. 

“Hey,” Gray speaks quietly, standing in the hallway of their first exam. Black Sheep looks up at him with those shining eyes and smiles.

“Hi.” The silence afterward is comfortable, and while Gray would love to do nothing but stay there with her, their first exam is starting soon and Gray is a man on a mission.

“I just wanted to let you know: You’ll do great, mate,” Gray says, voice soft (he wonders how he can switch from a thief with a future to a man in love so easily, but he finds he does not mind it). “I’ve told you before, haven’t I? You’re in a league all on your own, and I have no doubt you’ll blow us all away.” 

Black Sheep blinks up at him in surprise, and he sees as her entire expression softens, with weeks of anxiety melting into the air (Gray can’t help but feel giddy that he was the reason). She smiles, and Gray can’t help but want her to keep doing that forever.

_(Sometimes, he wonders how someone as kind and good as Black Sheep ended up at a thieves school. Sometimes, he wonders why she’s staying here even though she’s so clearly not suited for this hard life and has so much potential to leave and-)_

“Thanks, Gray,” she whispers, soft and sure (she’s the only one who ever calls him that anymore, whoever gets away with it, and he can’t help but wonder what that means). After careful deliberation, she opens her mouth to say something but is quickly interrupted by the sound of running footsteps. 

Gray and Black Sheep turn back to the hallway, only to find it empty. 

“Oh, shoot! We’re late! Come on, Gray!” she shouts, turning and dragging Gray with her to the entrance of the class. Just as they’re about to enter, she smiles at him, confident and happy, and he knows she’s back out of her funk. He smiles back and follows her inside. (He’d follow her anywhere if she asked.)

Fast-forward a week, and they’re both staring at the announcement boards that say she failed. He’s so shocked and off-put that he doesn’t even protest when Tigress _(Sheena)_ drags him away, sneering at her. _(_ _Is that what it’s come to? Leaving her alone just because she didn’t meet the standards of being an international criminal? To not truly becoming a criminal with no morals?)_

After that, they don’t see each other often. Crackle _(Gray)_ is busy preparing for his first mission, and Black Sheep is busy preparing to restart the next year. He takes special lessons with the rest of the graduates with the staff, and it pays off. Crackle can feel himself becoming much more attuned to his skills and gaining experience ( _as he learns how best to deal with loose ends and how to act in extenuating circumstances)_ , and he, for one, can see why Black Sheep wouldn’t have made it here. He tries to harden his heart, believing it best for her to first change her ideology (and maybe mature more) _(he doesn’t want her to change)_ before becoming a graduate and facing the world. Crackle avoids paths he knows she takes and tries to enter the school premises as little as possible for fear of seeing her. 

Once his first mission is assigned, he breathes a sigh of relief and thinks it best for both of them to get some distance and perspective. What he doesn’t expect, though in hindsight probably should’ve, was her sneaking on the plane and joining him.

_(“Don’t let go.”)_

Crackle _(“Gray”)_ refuses to acknowledge the way his heart pumps at the sight of her, and instead focuses more on the shock aspect. Confronting her and her _stupid_ plan of putting herself in danger in the forefront of her thoughts, and she does not seem to take it accordingly. (Why is she always so _immature?_ ) Her determined expression frightens him, and he can’t help but wonder what she has planned.

_(“I’ll be long gone.” - He always knew she wasn’t suited for this life. But what does that mean for him?)_

He tells her to stay put with no real expectation she will and leaves, not willing to risk his criminal career for her, despite any feelings he may have had. _(He’s just a coward who’s not willing to admit when he’s wron_ g.) If she gets in trouble, that’s on her recklessness, not him. 

. . . At least, until she decides to get involved with the mission itself. It almost fails because of her, and Crackle can’t forgive that. She purposefully tried to stop his first caper, and the hurt is just as palpable as the anger.

_( Wait, what do you mean ‘leave no witnesses’?”)_

She really was too innocent and naive for her own good. It never would’ve worked. Crackle understood that know. The least he could do at this point was stop her, protect her, and made sure she got back to where she belonged. (Why did his stomach feel queasy though?) As he watches Black Sheep pass out, he’s sure he did the right thing. 

Maybe one day, once she’s finally graduated, they could start again _(she won’t change, not unless she wants to)_. But looking at her now, unconscious, Crackle knows it wouldn’t work. Their ideologies were just too different _(and hers is right)_. As the Cleaners pick her up, Crackle turns away and hardens his expression, ignoring the voices in his head.

_(“Graduation was a game-changer.”_

_“No one or thing must stand in the way of achieving our goals.”_

_“What are you doing?”_

_“My entire upbringing was a lie_.”)

_He’ll see her again._

* * *

“She’s gone.”

Crackle feels numb. He doesn’t know what to think. _(Of course he knows - she couldn’t stand being here anymore. She decided she was better off escaping, and she’s right.)_ Stealing the VILE hard-drive and then just up and leaving? That sounded way too impulsive and reckless _(and just like her)_. 

Months later, El Topo comes with the news that she’s back. And she goes by _Carmen Sandiego_ . Crackle feels nothing as the VILE staff order her capture. He feels nothing as he goes back to his room that night, wondering what happened. He feels nothing, not a single emotion, until he catches a glimpse of red from the corner of his eye _(it reminds him of her hair)_. 

The dolls _(her dolls)_ lay there innocently, staring up at him. And suddenly he realizes what’s happening here. Black Sheep is trying to prove her worth! That must be it! Crackle perks up, realizing that she would pull a stunt just to prove a point. The escape with VILE’s most valuable possession, the resurgence as a professional thief, everything! 

_(He ignores the whispers of what-ifs_.) 

Well, two could play at that game. He smirks, picking up the dolls gently from his desk, having been lying there since their owner abandoned them. 

(He feels like he has a purpose again, and he is determined to be the one to bring back Black Sheep if it’s the last thing he did.)

He packs them away and stands, preparing to make his case to the VILE staff.

He had a sheep to catch.


	2. (No) Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Black Sheep has regrets _(with family and friends)_.

Carmen Sandiego did not regret her choices. 

Leaving VILE was the best thing she could’ve done, and nobody could convince her otherwise. She only wished that leaving VILE didn’t mean leaving the only family and friends she had behind.

It was hard, staying stuck on that boat for hours, just trying to reach land. Player tried his best to distract her, but even he had to go to sleep at some point. After that, it was silence and her own thoughts for a while. Looking back on her memories, and having the only place she ever called home become something scary and awful was unnerving, and Carmen couldn’t help the rush of anxiety that filled her.

She was out in the unknown now, with no family, no identity, and no clue what to do. She was lucky she had Player on her side because, without him, Carmen was sure she wouldn’t have even been brave enough to come back and try to stop them.

Despite her clear relief and determination in her decisions though, Carmen could still feel the hurt and betrayal that was running rampant in her thoughts. VILE was all she’d ever known for so long, and it wasn’t like they had ever mistreated her personally.

Coach Brunt, who treated her like family and might even have been the one to bring her to the island, would definitely feel heartbroken and betrayed.

The rest of the VILE staff, while admittedly not people she exactly admired, were people she’d known her whole life and had always felt like they were part of her crazy family. 

The classmates she befriended and studied with, learning from them almost everything she knew about friendships.

And of course, Gray, the person she was pretty sure she might be a little in love with.

Leaving them all felt so awful, despite the fact she knew they were in the wrong. They made their choice, and she made hers, but it still hurt to leave behind people who were so important in her life.

(She could still remember Gray’s pained expression right before she passed out, before never seeing him again.)

With the fact that Carmen was still planning on going after VILE, it was becoming clear very quickly that she’d have to face them again, except this time on different sides. She wondered how hard it would be to have to fight her friends or go up against her family. 

Most of Carmen’s thoughts kept revolving around Gray though. How could he choose to willingly hurt people? What could push one of the kindest people she knew to do this? Was there a way to change his mind? Would he ever willingly join her and fight with her?

Carmen couldn’t help but be hopeful, and she knew that would end up stabbing her in the end. 

In the end, though, it didn’t matter how she felt. Carmen was doing what was right, what was needed for the world. VILE was wrong, and she needed to make sure they didn’t end up winning. That was her choice. 

Even if everyone she knew joined them and fought with them against her, she’d keep going on. Carmen has diverged paths from everyone she knew previously as her worldview suddenly widened, and this path would either destroy her or destroy VILE.

It didn’t matter who came against her in this fight, and what her history with them was. 

She would fight against them if necessary, no matter how much it hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't exactly satisfied with this, and I had so much trouble with the ending, but this is the best I can do currently. I've agonized over writing this for way too long so here it is. I hope it's satisfying.
> 
> Anyways! Second chapter is out! I won't be posting anything on this series for a while after this, but fear not, more is in store! More angst specifically ;)
> 
> Up next, we have Carmen and Gray meeting on the train. Hehe. (Although, don't expect this to come out for another couple of months . . . )

**Author's Note:**

> So . . . yes. I hope I succeeded in making people sad. Or cry. I'm not picky. I have never written angst intentionally, so this goes as a first attempt? I hope it worked out. 
> 
> I really tried hard to kinda depict that change in Gray as time went on, so let's hope it was seen through. 
> 
> And hey! I got out another part of this series, so I'm happy! There's going to be a second part btw, which is a short one from Carmen's perspective :)
> 
> (I also started a soulmate au one with the red crackle ship that's already over 2000 words and halfway done but we don't talk about that-)
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
